The Dart: Love of motorcycles keeps boyhood friends together 'forever'

Eve Sullivan

Published 1:00 am, Monday, October 28, 2013

Victor Chiappetta works on his motorcycles in his garage in the Cove section of Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

Victor Chiappetta works on his motorcycles in his garage in the...

Victor Chiappetta and friends Dennis Arcano and Dan O'connell work on their motorcycles and hang out in Chiappetta's garage in the Cove section of Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

Victor Chiappetta and friends Dennis Arcano and Dan O'connell work...

Dennis Arcano and Dan O'Connell hang out in Victor Chiappetta's garage, work on their motorcycles and drink coffee in the Cove section of Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

Dennis Arcano and Dan O'Connell hang out in Victor Chiappetta's...

Charlie Turcio works on his bike in Victor Chiappetta's garage in the Cove section of Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

Charlie Turcio works on his bike in Victor Chiappetta's garage in...

Victor Chiappetta talks to George Pace about a bike he has for sale in Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

Victor Chiappetta talks to George Pace about a bike he has for sale...

Victor Chiappetta and friends work on their motorcycles and hang out in Chiappetta's garage in the Cove section of Stamford, Conn. on Monday October 14, 2013.
Photo: Dru Nadler

More Information

The Dart is a weekly feature in which reporters throw a dart at a map of Stamford and then go out in search of a story. This week the dart landed on Wardwell Street in the Cove.

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STAMFORD -- A tattoo on the top of Dennis Arcano's right arm pretty much says it all, "Cove Boys Forever."

Arcano's skin art refers to a group of local men who gather each day to drink coffee, shoot the breeze and tinker with their motorcycles. And while they're not really boys, they've been friends since boyhood and have certainly kept their boyish charms.

"We're all retired and we all hang around and work on our bikes," said Victor Chiappetta, 66, while standing in the garage of his Wardwell Street residence. "It's my house, it's for anyone over 60 to hang around."

One side of Chiappetta's garage is covered with pictures of the many adventures the guys have shared together through the years. Their shiny motorcycles are neatly parked around, a program plays on the TV and coffee and doughnuts are on hand.

The white corner house has been in Chiapetta's family for years; his parents had it built in 1960 and he purchased it from them 15 years ago. Though his father died three years ago, his mother continues to live with him.

At almost 97 years old, they said she enjoys hanging out with the Cove Boys and even serves up some of her special dishes, including macaroni and cheese, meatballs and cream puffs.

While they get plenty of visitors who don't ride motorcycles, Chiapetta said he's known many of his friends since childhood and they share a love of two-wheelers.

"We always had bikes, ever since we were kids," he said. "You never grow up."

On a given day, they said anywhere from eight to 10 guys swing by the garage.

On a recent day, a couple of them were working inside, others were milling about and a few visitors stopped in.

"I come over and work on my bike," said Charlie Turico, as he sat behind his red Harley Davidson Street Glide. "You change the oil and the filter."

The day before, Turico said a bunch of them took a "nice 200-mile ride" up to Massachusetts and had lunch in the town of Great Barrington. He said they often travel around New England, hitting spots in Vermont, New Hampshire and Lake George.

During the week, Turico said he likes visiting his friends. "Lots of guys come by, it's endless," he said.

The garage is filled with Harley Davidson motorcycles, which appears to be the trademark brand of the Cove Boys.

"Nothing sounds better than a Harley," Arcano said.

"We've been riding them since we were kids," Chiappetta added.

Chiappetta also has a collection of antique Harleys in a backroom, including a 1952K, 1967 Sportster and a 1978 Sportster that he just bought back from someone.

"They were in magazines, some of them," Chiappetta said, as he showed off the old bikes.

Dan O'Connell, another friend, said he just took a trip across the country and through Canada, stopping in Milwaukee, Niagara Falls and other spots.

"I just love riding," he said. "I've been riding for 50 years or more."

O'Connell said he started at 7 years old with dirt bikes and progressed to motorcycles. Now, he says, his wife has a motorcycle and often joins him.

"The long trips, she goes on the back of mine," O'Connell said. "But she'll ride up to Vermont."

As O'Connell and Arcano sit on folding chairs along the side of the garage, they show off the many tattoos on their arms. The two men said they were getting tattoos when it wasn't so popular. These days, they said, everyone gets them.

All of the men rib each other about their ages, calling O'Connell the baby at 64 years old. They also call each other "Q-tips," mocking their white hair.

They say meeting every day gives them something to do, as well as the chance to see their longtime friends. After a short visit with the Cove Boys, it seems they really are "forever."

"It's like you have to stop here daily, have coffee and see what's going on," Arcano said.